(Credit: Sky Sports & Imago)
(Credit: Sky Sports & Imago)

Exclusive: Ex-FIFA ref reacts as Butland fumes over Rangers incident v Kilmarnock

Keith Hackett

Refereeing Consultant AUTHORITY Former FIFA Referee; Head of PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited). Focus: Laws of the Game, VAR implementation, officiating performance, and PGMOL policy. THE AUDIT Keith utilises Statscore’s Officiating Telemetry, including Deep-Data Metrics like Incident Accuracy Rates, VAR Intervention Latency, and Official Positional Efficiency. He provides technical refereeing analysis to reveal the regulatory reality behind match-defining decisions.

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Robin Propper was flattened as Kilmarnock took the lead against Rangers at Rugby Park on Wednesday night.

Joe Wright scored his first goal in Scottish football when he headed in Fraser Murray's corner kick at the back post in the 11th minute of the Scottish Premiership clash.

However, Jack Butland and co were up in arms at Don Robertson's decision to allow the goal after Propper, 30, found himself on the ground in the build-up.

Butland instantly appeals against Kilmarnock's goal. (Credit: Sky Sports Football)
Butland instantly appeals against Kilmarnock's goal. (Credit: Sky Sports Football)

Keith Hackett: No issue with Kilmarnock opener v Rangers

Former PGMOL general manager Keith Hackett praised referee Robertson and VAR Steven McLean for their reaction to Killie's opening goal.

McLean swiftly checked Robertson's on-field decision to allow Wright's headed effort to stay on the scoresheet and that allowed the game to continue without a delay.

Hackett, who refereed in the Premier League and FIFA competitions, doesn't think there was a foul on Propper despite him leaving Wright to be unmarked while he was on the deck.

"It was a good goal and support for the referee from VAR," Hackett told Ibrox News.

"There was no offence on the Rangers player who went to ground."

Propper is seen on his back with both legs in the air as Wright heads in his first Kilmarnock goal. (Credit: Sky Sports Football)
Propper is seen on his back with both legs in the air as Wright heads in his first Kilmarnock goal. (Credit: Sky Sports Football)

Propper rotten defending as Rangers go behind

Yet again, Propper has had a nightmare of a performance in the Rangers defence.

Propper and Clinton Nsiala were surprisingly paired together by Barry Ferguson in his first game as interim manager despite how badly they'd done together under Philippe Clement.

And while it was Nsiala who was hooked within half an hour, Ferguson would have equally been justified if he had taken off the 31-year-old Dutchman.

Propper 2024/25 Premiership stats
Appearances21
Goals2
Yellow cards6
Red cards0
Starts19
Propper's basic stats in the Scottish Premiership this season.

It'll be a miracle if Propper stays at Ibrox beyond the end of this season. At the very least, he should lose his spot as a regular starter.

There's been little positive to say about the ex-Twente centre-back's debut season at Ibrox.

If anything, the less said about him, the better.

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